Returning the Favor and other Slices of Life

Friday, May 11, 2007

So last night I went to see The Duhks, one of my favorite bands. I love the music, love the vibe, think the fiddle player is cute as hell, and my infatuation with the lead singer is well-documented. Except she's not with the band anymore, and the new lead singer has a better voice, but isn't as hot. Oh well, moving right along.

So I meet up with Shelley and Karen for drinks before the show and then we rolled down the street to pick Suzy up at the theatre before heading on to the concert. I get there and notice the signs on the door saying that tonight's show is a non-smoking concert, which I heartily approve of. Then I see this nappy-headed guy on stage who isn't Leonard from the Duhks, and I wonder what's going on. As he starts to "sing" I realize that this is gonna suck. There's an opener.

Not only is there an unadvertised opener, he sucks. It's not like some of those hidden gems of opening acts, like Robert Earl Keen opening for Dave Matthews Band this summer (if you're going to see Dave Matthews, and I'm not sure why you would, get there early if REK is opening - he rawks!). Oh no, this is some mopey-assed singer-songwriter dork in desperate need of a stylist (or at least an unbiased fashion critic) who's desperately trying to channel Adam Duritz and missing. Badly.

So he sucked. A lot. And the show was on a school night, which made the 10PM start time for the headliner not so great for us old employed people's. Shelley didn't even make it to The Duhks, falling asleep on her stool midway through the opener's loser-ass set, and Suzy, Karen and I left after only about an hour of the band, because we were friggin' exhausted.

I know, getting old sucks, but is it too much to ask to let me know that there's an opening act for a concert on a Thursday? I've seen these guys several times, and it's about 50/50 whether or not there's an opener. Cause really, if I'd known they weren't taking the stage 'til 10, I probably wouldn't have gone to the show. I'm happy to do that shit on a weekend night, but Thursday's a school night, and I just can't play those reindeer games and do the shit I gotta do at work the next day (i.e. write another article for pokerworks, two for gambling weblog, and this blog post, but anyway).

Hamlet's almost completely cast, so it's getting close to time to go to work. If you haven't made your donation to Shakespeare Carolina yet, please do so now. We've gotten a couple of donations from generous readers, but need mo money to do the show justice. Click the Shakespeare Carolina link to donate.